The Covid pandemic changed the world. The way we live, communicate and work has changed, the threat to our mortality and our environment has become more apparent. Lockdown gave us a glimpse of a less industrial life, but it also drove up levels of loneliness and anxiety. Covid impacted directly upon, and has influenced the future of almost everything, including (on a relatively inconsequential level,) golf. Here below we consider 8 ways golf has changed for the better post-pandemic.
Golf is more popular again
(Image credit: Future)
The fundamental boost the pandemic gave the sport of golf was that it encouraged more people to play. It was one of the early activities deemed possible, given that it’s played outdoors and social distancing was easy to achieve on the course. People took up the game, came back to the game, others simply played more, recognising the physical and mental benefits that golf offers. Figures show golfing participation has increased over the last five years and that has filtered through to be of benefit to the game generally.
Golf clubs are healthier
People have seen the benefits of being a member of a golf club and many of those clubs have waiting lists once again. Most clubs saw a boost in membership numbers post-pandemic. The cost-of-living crisis will likely have a negative impact on those numbers as we go into 2023, but the fact that many were either introduced to club membership, or were reminded of the great things about it, may just see more clubs survive this period of financial challenge.
The industry as a whole is healthier
Interest in golf rose across the board – More were interested to find out about golf, to watch golf, to buy all things golf. The demand for equipment through, and after the pandemic, skyrocketed. Manufacturers couldn’t keep up. That meant more money going into the industry, into research and development, into jobs, into sponsorships, into expanding tournaments, into junior development. Again, the cost-of-living crisis is now impacting on spending, but the influx of money into golf created by the pandemic was a shot-in-the-arm for the golf industry.
Golf is less stuck in its ways
Just getting on with it…
(Image credit: Tom Miles)
We had to adapt in the pandemic – to play with the flag in, to play more ready golf, to change our shoes in the car park. The pandemic has encouraged many old-school golfers to see that a new generation may prefer a less stuffy form of golf that takes place over a shorter…
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